Japan Story Origami

In my little bedroom in the bungalow at 11 Ju Ichi Ban (No. 11) Yamato, (The Bluff) I was generally fast asleep and was unaware when my parents went out for an evening.

This particular evening I sensed that they were about to go out, leaving me ALONE.  When I heard the door close behind them I started to cry.  I was, I think, about four.

Soon Amah-san appeared.  She and her husband lived in a room at the back of the house and had become my baby-sitters.  Our amah did not speak much English, and I certainly did not speak Japanese, but she tried to reassure me that all was well.  I continued to cry.  She disappeared and after a few minutes came back with some squares of colored paper.  Sitting by my bed she folded the paper into wonderful shapes, flowers, boats, birds and beasts.  I fell asleep, entranced, comforted.  This was my introduction to the art of paper folding.